Method of destruction of refuse



Jan. 16, 1923.

E R BALT/IER y METHOD 0F DESTRUCTION 0F REFUSE.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

HLED sEP1.2z, 1919'.

A Il- L `Lllnlulnlnllllrlm Knllllllll Ilm et, I

emmacm R. BALMER.

METHOD OF DESTRUCTION 0F REFUSE.

man SEPT. 22, 1919. 5 SHEETSAHEET 2.

Jan. 16, 1923. i 1,442,116.

FIGQ. 98

Jan 16, 1923 FILED SEPT..22. 1919.

T R BALMER METHOD 0F DESTRUCTION 0F REFUSE.:

Jan. 16, 1923. A l A R. BALMER. v

METHOD or DESTRUCTION oF REFUSE.

FILED SEPT. 22| 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

` `Patented Jan. 16, 1923.

UNrTEDq 'STATES RQBERT BALMER, '0F TORONTOfONTARIO, CANADA.

METHOD or DEs'rRUc'rioN or EFUSE.

Application lled September 22, '1919. Serial Nof'325,431.

To -all whom it may cohcern J Be it known that I; ROBERT BALMER., a subject of the King of the nited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of the city ofA Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, -Dominion of `Canada., have invented certain new and useful Improvements f in /Methods of Destruction of Refuse, of

which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to methods. of destruction of the refuse of cities and to apparatus-particularly adapted to carry such methods into effect, which said apparatus forms thesubject-matter of 4my copending application, filedj October 18,1J919, Serial Number 331,669, entitled .Apparatus for the destruction of refuse. l

`.These inventions have for their general objects the provision of means capable of-re ceiving, storing, treating, handling and burning the waste ,of mumcipalities, composed in large part of Wet fuel and the attainment of these objects without creating a nuisance,

either by sights or smells offensive to `the community. A More particular .objects are the provision of a semi-automatic plant'of high efficiency dcapable Vof being economically' constructed4 an'd v operated\and adapted -to-'reduce by combustion the heterogeneous refuse to be destroyed 'Lto a substantially homogeneous form of clinker adapted for use in building, road making, and the like purposes, and to ash and'iue dust adapted foi` utilization as an ingredient of agricultural fertilizers. Other specific objects of my in.

ventions are the provision of storage capacity for refuseprior to its` combustion in crowded localities and the treatment of 1t there in a sanitary manner,v whereby in alimited area the waste of the municipal-v districtl may be destroyed without offense to the neighborhood, and whereby both the economy of short haulage'is vobtained and 'the expense of a large investment for land is avoided. Furtherl -objects will appear a they are hereinafter developed.' 4 Y In theattainment of the'above recited obi jects and others, as subsequent-lyv set forth,

my inventions more particularly consist` in the method of destruction. o mixed waste, comprising the several steps, first', .of classify.- ing .the waste with respect to combustibility; second, separately storing and treatingthe waste as thus classified; third, buildingup a fire by successive additions of waste through the range of classification from those most ,the line I-I of FigureQ, showing in plan of the combustion units.

readily combustible to those of least-combustible charactergand, fourth, increasing the efliciencyin combustion b'y'gutilizing high temperatures maintained'substantially con- 60 stant throughout. ,A

In the attainment of the firststep of they method above set forth, I employ a ser'fesof\/ bins; and in pursuance of the objectsof the second step-I independently treat the waste as thus separately stored by pre-heating at .regulable temperatures varled in accordance with the character of the wastefand the quantity of moisture content therein; and in .pursuance of the third step ofthe above recited method I firstemploy waste of high fuel value to kindle the fire upon the combustion grate and when a fire bed is ythus formedNintroduce the more refractory fuels thereupon until a bed of clinker has accumu- 7 5" lated land then superpose upon it: those wastes of least combustible character.

' The apparatus preferably utilized in, carrying out my desc'ribed methods is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which like .80, reference numerals are employed to designate similar .parts throughout the severaL figures, and in which f Figurejlfis a horizontal cross-sectiomupon I- a refuse destructor composed of founbins" and aseries of five combustion units adapted to cooperate therewith.. t A Figure 2-is a lvertical cross-section upon' f the line'II--II .of Figure 1. r f i f Figure 3 is a Vertical cross-section upon r the line III-III of. Figure 1.

Figure et/is a vertical cross-section upon *,the line "IV-IV of Figure 2;

. Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section upon the line V--V of Figure 2.l V

Figure 6 is a perspective view ofan air valve controlling device 'associated'with one upon 10 tion when open. 6, 6 are the refuse storage "bins and 6 the division walls or partitions between these bins.

7, 7 arethe dischargeY openings from the'storage bins provided with sliding doors 8, 8 for closing these openings, the sliding doors being protectedY by dependent walls or baffles 9, 9 from the pressure of the stored refuse. Each of these doors 8 is providedwith a chain and vhand ring 10 to raise and lower them, the chain running over the guide pulleys 11. 12, 12

as shown in Fig. 4 are hot air Chambers bes*Y neath the storage bins, and 13 (F ig. 3) is a valve in an inlet pipe, not numbered, for the admission of cool air to the hot airchamber 12. 14 is a lever adapted to control the inn let air through the pipe\and valve 13. 15,

\ tracks 71.

15 are air exhaust pipes or fines leading` from each bin, and connecting with'a pipe or flue 16 and 'in turn connected with pipe 17 leadingto the exhaust `inlet of the fan or ventilator, 18 which iis"driven from the pulley 67 and is adapted to 7exhaust the air and gases from the refuse storage bins. andto -deliver an air' supply forthe furnace ashpits 26a ,and combustion chamber j32. 1-9 are auxiliary hot air chambers surrounding the flues 15,16, 17 and fan 18, connecting at the openings 20 withthe hot air chambersv12, and 21 is the opening connecting the hot air chamber 12\with the exhaust air pipe 15.` 22 is the pressure inlet from the fan 18 communicating with the pipe or flue 23 to the pipe or flue 24. 24 is a connecting pipe or flue serving the inlet air pipes 25 to the individual ash-pits of the combustion units 26 which arepreferably adapted to `roll upon The combustion unit 26 comprise va fire grate 28, ,awash-pit proper-26",

Ahaving ash-pit discharge door 26h and an arr inlet 26C. `regulated by a valve 27 control- 1mg the air supply to the individual ash-pit,

' The firegrate 28 preferably has sloping dead plates 29 surrounding the,perforated bed of the train'of these fire-grates so engaged comprises four units, the fifth unit Being employed in the discharge of its contents and while so employed being outside of the furnace chamber 30 and located in the iiiishing chamber 30 whither the consecutive units, 26 are withdrawn from the furnace chamber and left to complete the -combustion of Vtheir contents and to cool olf their clinker before exit to the open air, and thereafter to be returned to the furnace chamber'30 through the transfer chamber 30h,

Figures 4 and 5. l,

31 are the outlet ilues from lthe furnace seen in chamber 30 to the combustionchamber 32. .This combustion. chamberhas the crown 33 and extends beneath the three bins'whose contents are -of the less combustible character, the crown 33 being of decreasing thickness to afford greater heat Yto the bins whse. contents have the higher moisture content, the crown being thinnest beneath that hold-C Y .ing the bin containingv the wettest fuel, usually garbage. 34 is the outlet flue from the 75` combustion chamber 32 to the vmain smokeue 35; the main smoke flue. 35 is of such length as will afford opportunity for the settling out of the lflue dust. It leads to the boiler 36, which ispreferably located vertically above the bins in order to economize space'rwhere land values, as in city limits or l where population is dense, make compactness desirable. The boiler is provided with the outlet^37 leading tothe chimney 38). The boiler 36 affords means for the generation of steam to beA utilized in the power plant, not shown, for suitable application to such needs for power-consumption asthe driving of the suction blower 18 and the operation of the hydraulic motor hereinafter described. The air pipe or iue 23, connects with the pipe 39 leading through or @ver the crown 33 of the combustion chamberv and has an outlet` into the combustion chamber near the points of entrance to said chamber of the iiues 31 which lead fromthe furnaceV chaml ber 30. 40 isa regulating valve and manual control therefor limiting the amount of air to be supplied through the pipe 39. 41 is 100 \a compressed airmainhaving the branches 42, leading into the storage lbins 6. The pipes 42, of which four are shown foreach bin, are of unequal length upontheir horizontal runs, the longest extendingto the back ofthe bins. Each pipe-terminates in an upward bend, extending to unequal heights, forming a steppedseries, from the highest at theback of the bin, to the lowest, which is nearest the front. Eachof'thesell fpipes ishconnected to a cross-'head pipe, exj tending the width of 'the bin. These cross head pipes are provided with`flat horizontal nozzles or5 mouth pieces 44seating between andiundesuccessive separated steps 53, constituting a terraced incline forming thefbotftom .of theJ bins 6.- 45 is a lever controlling the medium'of thefcog whee1'49 and shaft i' and chain Of'al/id hand wheel and cog gear 1.30

51, as showninFig.`2. pon rotation of the cog wheel 49 the sliding cover 48 is withdrawn permitting the bottom 47 to drop and the contents of the hopper to feed to the furnace. `The sliding covers 48 are preferably; of vitrified material. v

As shown in Figure 2 spy holes 54 are I provided for inspectioinofthe fire grates and to permitF the trimmin/g of fuel thereon] trance door provided with a pulley and chain gear 56 (Figp).V 57 is a shuttle truck for clinker and ash are discharged from the fire As shownin Figure 7, 55 is ,a-furnace encarrying the empty 1fire grate and asbl-pit unit into the furnaceBO. Thistruck runs l5.

grate and ash-pit upon the b`elt conveyor 65. 66 is the track'copnezting the outgoing and incoming tracks and upon which thev combined fire grate and ashf-pit is adapted to. run.` 684 is\a tool for haulin the fire grate Ifrom the furnaceBO to the finishing chamber 30a, in which finishing chamber-is located a coil-of water tubes 69v affording water circulation fortaking up the waste heat-from,

the hot clinker. The fire grate units are movedas a train through the furna-ceBO by means of the hydraulic motor-70 which is adapted to push the firegrates from the entrance end of the furnace tothe exity end as a. tra-in of grates preferably adapted to roll upon a track as statedjbut which may bev moved therethrough by anysuitable mechanism manually operated or `by gravity, I

prefer, however, the track 71 as shown' and the hydraulic motor 70.

The .individual ash-pits 26EL are served by the air vpipes 25 through vthe medium, of a 'connecting sleeve 72 dcooperating with the air inlet.26'lof each ash-pit, as shown in def, tail in Figure 6, in which 72a is an armbetween the sleeve 72 and the extendedshaft of a butterfly check .valve 77 .operated or division Walls. The covers to-the open-*120 ,through vvthe medium of a rocking shaft. 73'- having a slotted arm 74. y'lhe rocking shaft 73 is connected bythe arm 76a, with the arm 83 at the) end vof the'rockirfg rod 78 having a fixed arm 79 carrying aA snubbin'gr rod 80. The rocking shaft 73 is connected `to the hydraulic motor 70 through the connecting r'od 76 and` the ,slotted guides 75 The spring 81 is attached to fixed point 82 and to the arm 83 at the end of the 'rocking shutting off the supply of forced draft to the fire boxes automatically, ,the valves beg ing opened again by theengagement of the l lire boxes with the snubbing rod 8O upon the n'ovement of the sleeves 72, to connected l position between the air supply pipes and I l the air iq/ilets.

-The nfethod of operation of the apparatus above particularly described in carrying out i the processes of this inventionyis substantially as follows: r

In the collectionl of-municipal'refuse and Waste certainl districts afford characteristic classes of materials, one district preponderating in ashes, another in garbage, and another` in waste materials off inflammable 5 characten `No attempt is madejunder the method .of collection with which my invention is preferably employed, for selective collection but this fact ofdistinctive character of municipal wasteaowrding to the districts Y where it is-gathered,'. is taken advantagenof- L atthe arrival of thefvans or cartsat the def ,structorwhere the carts 52 are dumped into bins'selected in accordance with the usual and known character f the'loard.' The Vgen- 95 eral character of the refuse `of a given district determines the' necessarynumber of u i, bins, ibut average` conditions encountered are most efficiently handled bythe `provision offour bins admitting ,the classification of 100 waste 'into four grades.' The q most readily combustible waste is deposited 'inthe first bin, which thus contains readily combustible f material-ofhigh fuelfyalue, such as paper,l l wood and the like. QW aste Vof' "greater, or less 1'05 fuel value and of heterogeneouswcharacter,is disposed of in the second bins The materials of less combust-ibility and considerable moisture contentlarm disposed of in the third bin, and refuse predominantly consisting of l11o garbage is dumped in the last bin:. f,

vThe refuse carts or vans arriving at the tipping.` floor br platform.' are preferably guided vby rails or other suitable devices and proceed in file to discharge their con. 11.5 tents throughetle openings in the floor into` A these refuse storage bins below; The vari-` ous bins forming the battery are preferably keptseparate, as shown, by sealed partitions ings fin the tipping fioorare provided fas shownto swing against the direction of the carts travel and have swinging props hinged into thei-rtop surfaces which fall out by gravity when the coveris removed past the '125 vertical, Hthus acting as 'a .support for the coyer and inclining it toward the opening inl which position itaffords a vchute for the dis charged waste'. The refuse when deposited in the bins, even when the latter are parl .`the furn passes largely by gravity toward rge openings through which it is drawn into the feeding hoppers as required. 4These bins are fixed storage chambers having a' frontage corresponding with that of aces but relatively from :front to back.v This en oflthe storage .chamber to desired limits. Lback from any opening to fall by gravity to or near such'opening, the workmen by loperating one of the lever controlled valves can introduce from the compressed air main, "through ,oneA of the branch compressedair pipes connecting with the nearest cross head pipe, a blastl of compressed air through the nearest flat horizontal mouth pieces or Vnozzles set in and extending j'across the floor of theK refuse storage bin. Thefloorof the muy fined the discha a-bles the height be kept within lessening of the restraining friction it tends to fall by the natural fect of gravity? As indicated by dotted line uw is roughly divisible into layers or columns whose inclination is that of the angle of slip of the material. It will ybe found that' the effect of the air blast Y from the :nozzles nearest the removal opening is limited tothe outermost layer orcolumn of refuse which is 'inclined rou toward the rear' of the bin and whose depthvv or thickness vanies with the weight and texture of the refuse and the' depth from front to back of each ,inclined section of the fioor affected by the blast. By operating in succession the: first-pr nearest set of nozzles, and then the second, and then the first two and the third, and so on, the whole of the. refuse is progressively brought forward tothe discharge opening with a combined 'sliding and rolling movement of the mass along its exposed surfaces. During the l actual operation of the compressed air blasts from thenozzles, the'sliding door of the discharge opening is preferably kept closed, the movement of the doors being free from interference by contact with the mass ofy stored refuse due to the baiie'plates.

As' above pointed out an essential andimv portant part o'f thework of`a destructor is the regulation of the service of cart and van l discharge. For reasons heretofore pointed out, it is desirablerto deposit the more easily combustible'refuse (in lthe 'bin located above the entrance end of the furnace chamber and ofv greatl depth' VVhenthe refuse lies too farf bin, as shown,is constructed with a downof the refuse so that with the removal or' s in Figure 2, the ref-` ghly at an angle of` \the least combustible refuse in, the bin nearest the oppbsite end of the furnace. It is desirable to follow the same rule of vrdistributing the more combustible refuse with rev spect toeach individual bin Where provision is made for a doubleline of discharge openings, that is to say, one set ofopenings in thefore part and another in the rear of the storage chambers. f

Assuming ,that the distribution df the refuse from the carts to 'thelstorage bins has been effected accordingly, the waste will then be substantially graded according to its combustibility as to individual bins as well as to the battery of bins. 1 In order to raise 'the temperature an otherwise improve the combustibility of the l refuse While inthe storage bins, the bottoms furnace chamber, a. progressively thinner f crown is provided "over the combustion chamber as illustrated in the drawings, the crown being shallower as the distance from the entrance of the furnace chamber is Vincreased. Where so large a moisture content exists asin garbage and 'ordnary cty refuse, the application of heat to that mai terial whilein storage makes 'it give up in' vapor aj portion of that moisture, thus improving its fitness for combustion in the furnace. At the. same time the inflammable7 character off the other classes of refuse is increasedJ bythe application of heat. Alcohol and ether are rapidly formed, ab-l sorbing in their formation a considerable quantity# of moisture and increasing lby this double action the combustibility of the refuse. Atthe same time many hydrocarbons are volatilized by the heat and pass off along with the water vapor and alcohols and ethers with' the fan exhaust as above" described. The oxidation of metals in the warm, moist atmosphere of a storage bin is rapid, releasing appreciable quantities ofk f hydrogen by decomposition Iof the water, rthusv adding to the gaseous combustible elements blending with the 'air supply tof the fan. The infiammability, however, of the alcohol, ether and .unstable volatilized hydrocarbons, combined with the-hyd`rogen, free and nascent noxygen and other gases and. vapors, is so great that care is needed in the application of heat and its graduation according .to the necessities of each case. Hence the provision of a graduated f scribed, which for greater safety may, if

' 35 re grate unit. Each unit combines in itself able arrangements for that purposehare prol desired, be automaticallycontrolledby any At the entrance end of the furnace chamberv usual thermostaticapparatus. It will be' each unit'mrests on ashuttle truck and in Anoted that the compressed air pipes 42, 43, the finishing chamber extending beyond the. and. th compressed airv nozzles 44, are opposite lend of the f furnace? chamber 5 heated yby the hot air chamber 12 so that another rshuttle ytruck iswprovided ,to receive `the air blasts ejected below and amongst ach unit in turn.

the refuse will contribute effectively towa-rd The'movement ofthe tire grate and ash- Warming and drying the refuse While also pitl units through the furnace chamber is loosening, opening -up Vand .aerating same, intermittent but constitutes a .continuous thus further improving the conditions for operation.' The units are :moved through combustion, the furnace' preferably by a hydraulic In the initial operation of the. destructor motor,A each thrust of Which-is for the-full the irstjtire grate unit is chargedfrom the length of` one unit, thus carrying the whole storage hopper above the first -bin Where series of four units over the same distance. `inflammable fuel is afforded.- The Work, of On the Withdrawal stroke ofthe motor,

charging' is performed by the workman disspace is left` accordingly for the introduccharging the storage bin, whose duty it is 'ltion of one empty unit at the ventrance end to keep the feeding hopper full of refuse. of the furnace chamben This empty unit The emptying of the feeding hopper, liow-v is afforded by the eturn unit which has' ever, is the duty of the fireman on the floor been emptied of its clinker, and returned to below. By means `of a hand wheel 51 con-track 66" andrun to track 61 Where. it is' nectingv by chainj and cog wheel50 and cogreceived bythe shuttle truck and conveyed Wheel 49 with the' ratchet frame and hori-J through the furnace entrance door. 0n zontal sliding cover 48, `the fireman opens passing through this entrance door, the unit the -crown of the furnace and at the same again stands Within the furnace chamber .901

time the bottoni 47 `of the feedingvhopper under the first fe'ed hopper and isv ready to' .46 falls and the charge of refuse is dropped repeatfthe cycle of operations alreadyv deby lgravity into the furnace. By reverse scribed beginning with tiring with theJ most ,Y motion of the hand Wheel, the sliding'cover combustible class of refuse and progressing llifts thebott-om and closes simultaneouslyfthrough the lsuccessive charges each of more theopening ofthe furnace and the bottom f frefractory material.- .v

of the feeding hoppen.' The material best As it is desirable to break connection with suited for initiating combustion having thus the air blast and the ash-pit of each unit at been deposited, 'the ire is kindled upon the t each change, of position of the unit, suitthe fire grate and ashfpit suitably lmounted vided, one of which is illustrated in the with Wheels on a track running from end drawings as the preferr'edform, as already to end of thefurnace chamber. The course described. The varying'nature of the refof each grate in its passage through the use successively charged`into each combus# 40 furnace chamber is from the-entrance door tion unitland the increasing depth ofthe to qthe exit door. fter initial firing with; fire bed continuingly frmed, render'sepathe fuel from the first bin, the grate is' rate treatment of the units desirable as'to moved to its position urfder the next followthe aInOllnt and pressure of air to vbe Supt. ing feed hopper. When so moved the re plied thereto. In order to secure operatieve 45 grate already has a fire nucleus with which conditions independently controllable, the

to burn less combustible refuse and thus to ash-pits are preferably formed separately l form a thicker-bred 'of' hot cli'nkers with 4and integral' with each separate grate, as which to deal with .the more refractoryn has been 'pointed o ut. The same result may refuse supplied 'from `the remaining storage be lessefficiently secured, however, by 4fixed j 50 bins of the battery.. -When the last charge ash-pits below the moving fire grates .with`Q115 of refuse upon this lire grate `unit has been partition Walls brought up into such close consumed.f its particular run is nished and proximity to the fire grate frames as to the unit is removed to the finishing cham minimize the loss of air between the crevipes. ber Where,l after having its position ad- ,For the correct regulation ofthe 4pres` 55. justed through the opening .andby a suitsure .and amount of air supplyto the ashes stitute atrain which able tool, the mass ofv hotclinker4 on the -fire grate is cooled by ya further applicationl of; the air blast from air pipe 25 and air inlet 26 and the Waste heat given off fromV '6 0 the clinkeris absorbed -by the nest of water tubes set below the crown of tlie finishing chamber. Each fire grate and ash-pit unit'.

undergo the s ame `series o f operations as every other unlt.` tIlhese units together con-j moves as an entirety..

pit ofv eachcunit, rthe valves 27 are provided for manipulation by the fireman' at each of the points of stoppage of the units in their passage .through the-furnace 4chamber and in the finishing chamber.

` The air supply for combustion in the furnace vchamber comes 'under pressure from 'the pressure outlet of the, fan;A A further supply of air u nder pressure isdelivered by i the fan through the special. ues `wh1ch pass to the ash-pits and for'supplementary comi ll .exhausting the air and such arrangement A only two doors are construction tends not through over the crownofthe combus- 'tionchamber into the latter.

nace chamber intgthe combustion chamber.'l

While the fan thus delivers the air supply bustion in the Acombustion chamber, it draws its lown supply through pipes or finesv which .connect with pipes or ues opening in the upper part of the storage bin and thereby moisture-containing fumes and gases therefrom as arise from the refuse.

By the provision ofthe auxiliar hot air chamber V19 and the setting in t Y work or masonry o f tlieair pi` es or flues, protection is afforded against ieat losses;

By maintaining the temperature of the air fumes, vapors and gases exhausted from the storage bins and preventing the conden-g sation, particularly of thef volatilized hydrocarbons, as well as other vapors in the pipes and in the fan,.its continuity o f operationis secured and the loss of .valuable gas: eous fuel for the furnace is prevented. JThis condensation would otherwise deposit a vis# coustarry substance in the pipes and ues and fan interfering with their efficiency and requiring a stoppage ofthe plant for cleaning at intervals.

By making the fire grates movable laterally through a furnace lchamber connnon to all, each unit passes through the same zones as`every otherv fire grate and each of the firing operations takes place at one and the saine point for allthe units of the This arrangement permits suchl a distribution of the refuse in storage as will enable they furnace to -Work1most fliciently in com- I bustion and also as to labor cost and con,-l .servation of heat,- the 45 .final `result being- Shown/in higher temperatures, larger output and lower operative cost.

The structuralv advantage obtainedA in lthis of fire grate service is that tery of furnaces, namely, one for the .en-

-trance and theother for the exit of the grates. -'The whole face of thev furnace is thus completely free of doors for either furnace or-ashpit service., There are only a few small openings through which -tools Vseparate furnace doors tends -to reduce and simplify the transp 6 5Y ort service of the clinker and ash while not interfering with` the work".

4'of attending to the other rlire the air in this e backvr tion in the group. 1

.tion in eiliciency bf the plant as a whole.

required for each bat-A diate area, thus grates ofthe same battery. Y

In the destructor described-no air .currents or gaseous 'roducts of combustion or of fer:

mentation eave any/part of the destructor Y.

in a free volume atany time save through the stack or chimney. -The arrangement provides at every point for an indrawing of air Wherever there is an external opening to atmosphere save at the ultimate point of rel lease, namely, the chimney. Thefprewheating of .the garbage in the storage bin'simay be thus carried on at lthe high temperatures necessary to the wettest class of fuel, since tlie'constant ventilation of the bin is accom 80' plished and thesegases and-vapof'rs drawn offl continuously., i The air (passages along which the volatilized. hydrocarbons are conveyed from the binsto the furnace are maintained at a temperature higher than that of the bins themselves. By this arrangement condensa,-

fanglues and. pipes is avoided and the volatilized hydrocarbons are delivered entire to the furna for passage through the lire grate or to the combustion chamber for destructin therein. rIIhe means shown for maintaining this temperature higher than that in the storage bins com prises the enclosure of the air iues and fan itself in a chamber which is itselfI heated by the' lue leading from the combustion cham; j ber, but the same results may be otherwise c accomplished as by the direct injection of superheatedq air bywhich volatilization of the-hydrocarbons is maintained and their condensation prevented. w

By theE closed circulationsystem described, A the practical difliculties previously encounteredthrough' premature condensation in the pipes or flues are overcome and the loss of valuable combustibles is prevented as well as tlieextrawork incleaning the pipes and flues, compulsory stoppage. of the furnace fansl or ventilators and'l consequentdeprecia- By the methods 'above set forth and described, a markedincrease in efficiency is se-. cured inl rate of combustion, temperatures` obtained, the economy of labor and cost of v management. The `sanitary conditions of ,115 the destructor, both' for the workmen enengaged in its opera ion and for. the com- 'imunity where it is, installed, are resultant densely populated district without detriment or inconvenience to the inhabitants. This possibili-ty affords great economic advantages since., the community producing the refuse may destroy `it within its own imme-` avoiding transportation vof refuse for long distances with the increasingly unpleasant odors inevitable from the rapidV fermentation and decomposition of garbage.l

Having thus described my invention and theapreferred embodiment thereof, cbut not \desiring to be understood,l as Xlimiting'its ,Scope otherwise than as particularlydefinedl preliminary to charging' said garbage into a combustion chamber, consisting in storing said garbage 1n arecelving b1n,`there' pre# heat ng it for such 'period and at'such tempera ure that fermentation is actively promoted and until alcohols and ethers form in substantial quantities; separating such vapors and garbage, and then drawing olf such .vapors from the bin. 7 A

3. In the incineration pfga preliminary to charging same into a combustion chamber consisting in separately storing said garbage in a preheated'chamber; forcing currents of heated air under pressure through the mass; continuing such aeration until the garbage generates a gase-` ous mixture of water-vapor and fermenta-4 tion-products of inflammable Character; withdrawing the garbage from-said chamber and separately burning said gaseous mixture andlutilizing the heat of its combustion to heat said storage chamberf A4. The method of. incineration of munici- .containing garbage, the method of promet ing the combustibility thereof lconsisting separately storing thelgarbage; raising the. temperaturehereof to the point of converi sion of thewater thereof intofvapor; kaerat- `ing t-he mass with air under pressure;'con tinuing to heat and arate same until the alcohols and ethers generated have combined with the Water-vapdr and then charging the dehydrated mass into a separate combustion chamber.

like refuse havinga hi 7'5' \7. vIn the destruction of garbage andthe l moisture content,

.the method off rendering same combustible consistingin storing same in a closed cham-f.

ber other than the combustion chamber, apy plying heat thereto and simultaneously forclao ing currehts of air under pressure throughout lthe-stored mass and continuing such treatment by heating and aeration until the rmoisture isvaporized, the unstable hydro-` carbons are volatilized' and products olf fermentation are formed in such quantities as xto render the gaseous mixture of waterrbage, the steps 'vapor, volatilized* hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers and air highly inilammable 8.. In Athe destruction of municipal waste, themethod of preparation thereof for in- V cineration consisting fin separately storing the material of garbage content in a pre- 4:heatedx chamber adjacent to but not a part of the combustion chamberg. maintaining suchgarbage 'at such temperature as will force rapid fermentation thereof; withv drawing the volatile vproducts created by such temperatures; separately burning said products and causing the combustion thereof to heat said chamber.

pal Waste consisting in grading the waste. 9. In the destruction of municipal waste,

cluding Wet fuels consisting in grading the" waste with reference to its cc'mibustibility,

the method of Apreparation thereof for rin .oineration consisting in separately storing the material of garbage contentin a pre- .heated chamber maintaining such garbage at such tempera-ture as will force rapid fermentation thereof; withdrawing the volatile products thus created; separately burning same separately burning said garbage, and causing the combustion of said withdrawn volatile produbts to promote the burning ofl said garbage. 10. In the initially charging a grate :with waste' of,l the cyclejof operations consisting in charging i garbage into`a preheated4 closed bin;

readiest combustibility; tiring same, adding thereto material of less combustibility butadaptedA to form a fire bed, successively charging such gratewlth'waste of decras` ing combustibil-ity, and intermittently progressng said grate to receive each successive storing it there until fermentation products are generated in suflicient volume to supply aninlammable gaseous mixture; conducting a part of such mixture to a Combustion chamber and there igniting same; utilizing the heat lofsnch colbustion to maintain the destruction ofmunicipal waste;

temperature of said bin; conducting another f part of such gaseous mixture to an incinerating grate, and there lgmting same;

disv charging theigarbage from such chamber I upon said grate, and promoting the incinera-` r y tion of said municipal refuse preliminary to incineration grading such refuse relatively` yto the combustbili/Qv of the classes of Waste consisting in Y comprised therein, and separately storing the several grades.

12. The steps in the method of burning municipal refuse consisting in building'up a lire-bed from Waste of progressively decreasing combustibility, the Waste of greatest combustibility being first employed, and- Waste of less-combustible grades being successively dumped in layers thereon as the preceding layer becomes capable of sipportof a' less combustible ing graded fuels cumulatively to each from a succession of feeding points."

y20 ing-ga series of movable fire-beds, and feed- 14C. 'The\steps' in the method of dstruc- 4tion of municipal Waste consisting in establishing a series of separate fire-beds, successively feeding said fire-beds with fuel Hof predetermined -combustibility, and progressivelyradvancing said fire-beds to a common discharge point.

f Roi'sizirr BALMER.' 

